The present invention relates, in general, to an automatic cartridge ejecting apparatus for magnetic tape players and, more particularly, to an automatic cartridge ejecting apparatus for magnetic tape players, having an improved latch device for latching an eject lever for causing an ejecting of the cartridge.
The cartridge ejecting apparatus for the magnetic tape player is either operated manually by a manual operation of an eject lever, or automatically by an electric signal obtained when an end mark recorded on a magnetic tape is detected or by the opening of a main switch.
Conventionally, in order to provide an automatic operation of the ejecting apparatus, it has been usual to latch and hold the eject lever, against the force of a return spring or the like utilizing certain apparatus so that unlatching of the lever will result in movement thereof under the force of the spring whereupon the cartridge, which is engaged by the lever, will be ejected. In the past the eject lever has been latched by means of a plunger associated with a solenoid coil. This arrangement for latching and holding the eject lever, however, has a practical limit of use. Namely, while the size of the plunger and the electric power consumed by the same pose no problem in the case of a large tape deck for a component type high fidelity music system for a home having no limit for the space available for mounting the plunger inside the tape deck housing nor in the size of the power supply, the compact tape players such as those installed on automobiles or other portable players driven by battery power require a reduced size for the latching mechanism and a smaller power consumption since excessive power consumption will quickly drain the batteries.
It is possible to reduce the power consumption even in the case of a conventional latch device which incorporates a plunger, by making the size of the device smaller. However, such a device of reduced size will not be capable of providing a sufficiently large force for overcoming the spring back or return bias of the eject lever which is normally urged by a relatively strong return spring in the direction of ejection, since the conventional latch device exerts a force on the eject lever in linear opposition to the force of the return spring.
Moreover, when it is absolutely required to reduce the power consumption as much as possible, it is extremely difficult to provide an arrangement whereby the cartridge ejecting operation can be performed after the opening of the main switch.